Henchman Topiary Awards
Launched in 2024, the Henchman Topiary Awards celebrate the art of topiary and recognise professionals and home gardeners in the UK and Europe who are passionate about creating living sculptures.
2026 Applications
The applications for the 2026 awards have now closed. Details of when the winners will be announced can be found in the "Prizes" section below.
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About the Henchman Topiary Awards
The awards were designed to celebrate the art of topiary and recognise those who demonstrate exceptional skill, creativity, and passion in shaping and maintaining incredible living sculptures.
This popular competition, founded by leading garden ladder specialist Henchman, accepts entries from across the UK and Europe to then present to an esteemed panel of judging experts from topiary and horticultural backgrounds.
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Prizes
The winners will be announced at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show on Saturday 23rd May 2026. UK winners will be invited to attend the event where they will receive a trophy and a high-value prize bundle of Henchman products.
All winners, from UK and Europe, will receive a Henchman Tripod Ladder of their chosen height and a pair of ARS Shears.
Meet the Judging Panel
An esteemed panel of topiary experts and horticulturalists include Andy Bourke professional topiarist and better known as The Hedge Barber, Michael Buck - Head of Horticulture at Creepers Nursery, Petra Hoyer Millar - Editor of The Dirt Horticulture News and Patrick Salembier - President of EBTS France and organiser of World Topiary Day at Levens Hall, will evaluate each submission based on creativity, craftsmanship and overall impact.
Andy Bourke - The Hedge Barber - Professional Topiarist and Online Influencer
Andy has worked in horticulture for over 15 years and is a professional hedge cutter and topiary artist. Using traditional hand cutting methods, Andy has worked on small intricate topiary designs as well as larger, organic shapes. Andy is better known online as The Hedge Barber – creating aesthetically pleasing videos of his topiary creations.
Michael Buck - Head of Horticulture at Creepers Nursery
Michael started in horticulture while trying to forge a career in football, 20 years ago, which saw him experience different sectors within the industry. For the past 12 years, Michael has spent his time working on many exciting nursery and garden projects across the UK and Europe, and has been the Head of Horticulture at Creepers Nursery for over three years.
Petra Hoyer Millar - Editor of The Dirt Horticulture News
Petra is a gardener, horticultural journalist and editor of The Dirt News. A fan of all things topiary, she is the creator of a large cloud-pruned yew hedge and shapes, for which she was runner up in the 2024 Henchman Topiary Awards in the Home Gardener category. Retrained from her economic background, she has enough RHS horticultural diplomas to know how to propagate, plant and prune her way through anything green.
Patrick Salembier - President of EBTS France
Patrick is the president of European Boxwood and Topiary Society France (EBTS France) and the editor of Buis et Topiaires. Passionate about sharing his knowledge, he published The Boxwood Manual in 2017. Since 2012, Patrick has also been the designer of the gardens at Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, bringing expertise and creativity to one of France’s most renowned landscapes.
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The Henchman Topiary Awards Hall of Fame!
Click here to view the annual results of our UK and EU competitions, celebrating winners and runners-up across every category as well as our honorable mentions.
Whether you’re a professional gardener or a passionate hobbyist, we’re proud to showcase your achievements - and we invite you to join our next competition.
